Few things exist so precious and beneficial to our health and happiness than that pure, liquid gold – olive oil. Softening, calming and astringent, olive oil nourishes strengthens and protects us inside and out. Containing vitamins E and K, omegas 3 and 6, and phenolic compounds, olive oil promotes anti-oxidant …

Some people shy away from cooking fish, particularly whole fish, but my recipe below for Grilled or Roasted Daurade Royale is failproof. Dorade Royale is sometimes referred to as Sea Bream. If you can’t find Dorade or Sea Bream, Red Snapper or Branzino are good alternatives. Simply ask your local …

Provence is a buffet for food lovers. There are markets every day of the week. Chefs find inspiration in seasonal fruit and vegetables, Mediterranean seafood, and free-range lamb. A suitable climate and good soil mean an array of locally produced almonds, cheese, wine, olives and olive oil. In the spring …

This restaurant, a bar-tabac (café, bar, restaurant and more), is the beating heart of St-Rémy-de-Provence. St-Rémy-de-Provence is famous for its Roman ruins, a Wednesday morning market, and former residents like Vincent van Gogh and Nostradamus. A stop in St-Rémy should be on every tourist’s itinerary in Provence. My wife and …

Panisse, like polenta, is easy to make. The difference is chickpea flour instead of cornmeal. However, the culinary debate about whether panisse is a culinary creation of Marseille or Nice continues without resolution. Is the authentic version of panisse found at a snack bar on the beach in l’Estaque, where …

Dishes such as ratatouille, pan bagnat, panisse, soup au pistou, and salade Niçoise appear on menus throughout the South of France. Many cooks have time-tested variations on these recipes, which may be delicious, but don’t quite follow the Cuisine Nissarde traditions. Although ratatouille is known around the globe, the authentic …

Very rarely do you come across a Côtes du Rhône Villages so incredible that it might as well be a Gigondas wine. However, in this case, the red wine that we used in this wine pairing from Paul Jaboulet Aîné (2020) is a nice upgrade. It is big and bold, …

Before I moved to France,  I had never seen a fresh fig. The only figs I knew were in that classic American cookie – Fig Newtons. Although, admittedly, it’s a pretty good choice in the grocery store cookie aisle. Discovering Figs When I moved to the south of France with …

Among Nice’s many attractions are its Mediterranean location and the fresh seafood. Octopus (la pouple) is one ingredient that often features in Niçoise dishes. La pouple à la Niçoise was a favourite of the local fisherman mentioned by Tobias Smollett in 1762. However, the recipe has likely evolved since that …

Clafoutis is a traditional Provencal dessert that is easy to prepare. Made with eggs and just a little almond flour, this dessert is not quite flan or cake, but it is delicious when apricots are in season. I often create the recipe (below) for Stone Fruit Clafoutis with students in …